Wednesday, November 21, 2018

I LOVE Christmas Movies! #bookgiveaway

I've always been a sap for Christmas, and now I'm married to a Christmas tree farmer... and we're going to be opening a holiday store, which means I will get to revel in Christmas all year long.

I hope that ends up being a good thing.

This time of year I really enjoy the Hallmark (and Hallmark type) Christmas made-for-TV movies. Some are better than others, and some are atrocious. The worst are the ones filmed in California using sprayed on snow, when you can see the green leaves under the snow. And the light is wrong; I don't know if people who don't get snow know it, but the light is different when there is real snow on the ground, and in the air. Sometimes in those movies I can tell that it is about 80 degrees in the scene.

They can be cheesy. I mean, they almost always star Candace Cameron-Bure or (my favorite) Lacey Chabert. There is a drinking game around that requires you to chug for a character with a Christmas tie-in name (like Holly or Kris), snowball fight (chug!), or a damsel who falls into the hunky star's arms (chug and chug!)

But... I still like them! I like to sit with my girlfriends with a glass of wine and point out the cheesiest moments. So, my top five in reverse order, are:

5 - A Very Merry Mix-up - 2013 - Meeting the new in-laws to be is always tough, but...?
4 - Journey Back to Christmas - 2016 - Time travel and Christmas; who can resist?
3 -The Mistletoe Promise - 2016 - Not sure why I like this one, but I do!
2 - The Spirit of Christmas - 2015 - Who can resist a hunky ghost and a haunted inn?
And Number One...
1 - Snowglobe - 2007(with Christina Milian! GREAT singer!) Ever wanted to live in a snowglobe? Maybe it's not all it's cracked up to be... but SUCH a fun movie!

However... I may just have a new favorite!! This year Netflix has entered the Christmas movie fray with a sweet entry, The Holiday Calendar. It has an enchanted Advent calendar, and the lead actress, Kat Graham, is charming! I LOVED this... you should definitely check it out if you have Netflix.

So... do you like these Hallmark (and other channels now) holiday movies?? Do you have a favorite?

Tell me, so I can look them up!

~::~

Season's Readings Giveaway

Happy HO-HO-Holidays, everyone! I hope you have a wonderful season, and to help I'd love to give you a gift.

Comment here for a chance to win! Do you like the Hallmark type Christmas movies? If you do, tell me what ones so I can look them up!

I don't get the Hallmark channel, which I am forever sad about! I do watch the Christmas movies on Netflix and I love them all! I know they may be cheesy, yet we all need to know their is hope for love and our life to work out for the best!Thank you for the giveaway and Happy Thanksgiving!debprice60@gmail.com

I love watching Hallmark movies. I haven't watched any yet. But I do have several recorded. My favorite is Christmas Comes to Evergreen. I'm not sure which ones are already recorded, but I know I have Christmas Joy and Dear Santa.

I could watch Hallmark Christmas movies any time of the year. It's hard to come up with a favorite one but Danica McKellar is one of my fave actresses (Candace is a given lol, we watch everything she's in! Lori Loughlin as well and we do like Lacey) and I just love Coming Home for Christmas--it was on last year but it's out on DVD this year. I also liked the one where Danica played the governess to a rich guy's spoiled little girl who turned out not to be such a brat after all--it had a good snowball fight in it, the butler was cool. I'm terrible with names of these movies lol. Thanks for the entry! barbie17(at)gmail(dot)com

I love them too. I love, "the spirit of Christmas" any and all versions of A Christmas Carol..but I always have to watch " the Christmas Card ". That is one you really need to see. rosep at bayland.net

I love the Hallmark Christmas movies. On the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel, I like Dashing Through the Snow, and on the Hallmak Channel I like Christmas at Holly Lodge. One of my very favorite Christmas movies is Eloise at Christmastime -- it's wonderful! Celia bobandcelia(at)sbcglobal(dot)com ~

We don't get the Hallmark channel, but I just might check out the one on Netflix you recommended. I find a lot of the holiday offerings a little cheesy for my taste, but that's usually because by the time they start to show up on every channel and every network, my inner Grinch is in full force. Speaking of.....the original Grinch animated short film I have to watch every year. I also REALLY love the Jim Carey Grinch movie and usually watch it each year. (Own it on DVD)I would love a chance to win a book.gnluciow(at)gmail(dot)com

I wait all year for rhe 24/7 cycle of Xmas movies on Hallmark, along with the special treat of movies during "Xmas in July". Soooo much better than the depressing news on cable these days drpeace55@gmail.com

I used to love the Hallmark channel Christmas movies but had to cancel cable due to finances. As much as I miss it, my absolute favorites are the old standards. Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life, Holiday Inn, etc.

I watch some of the Hallmark holiday movies. But mostly I prefer ones like the Grinch movies, The Holiday, Comfort and Joy (Yay for Nancy McKeon!) and even the specials like Rudolph, Frosty, The Year Without a Santa Claus, etc. Thanks for the chance to win.robbfan141729@yahoo.com

I haven't watched any Hallmark Christmas movies. There is a new one on Netflix called The Christmas Chronicles that looks fun. Thanks for the giveaway and Merry Christmas (a little early). aut1063(at)gmail(dot)com

I love Hallmark type movies! We watch tons of them whether on Hallmark channel or any of the other channels that show the holiday movies. Like the silly, fun one, but really love the ones that evoke emotion, make me cry or think about the message in the movie. My absolute favorite all time movie has to be THE CHRISTMAS VISITOR. I think it's because our daughter, our only child, died in a car accident when she was 17. This movie spoke volumes to me. How precious would it be if you could have just that one time to see and talk to them again! It's an older movie and being more emotional has been pulled off the regular Hallmark channel now. It's shown on some of the other channels each year but not always one we get. Therefore we had to buy it. Now we watch it every year a few times. <3

Thank you for the wonderful chance to win a print copy of "Breaking the Mould" (which would be my choice if I were fortunate enough to win)! Can't wait for the opportunity to read this wonderful sounding book. 2clowns at arkansas dot net

Thank you all so very much for your comments! A winner has been chosen and notified by email. But watch for my next day, December 21st... Season's Readings will be over, but I'll be doing another big pre-Christmas giveaway!!

Welcome

We are the characters--major and minor--who inhabit the pages of some of your favorite cozy mysteries.We're coming out from between the covers and welcoming you into our lives.So grab a nice cuppa, settle in, and learn what happens when our authors aren't looking.

Sheila Connolly

Goodbye, Sheila Connolly

Our dear friend and colleague, Sheila Connolly, passed away on April 20, 2020, in her beloved cottage in Ireland. She was a steady, smiling friend, a prolific writer, and a long-time contributor to Killer Characters and other blogs.

We thank her for the gift of her friendship and her stories. Please treasure her memory with us, and enjoy reading and rereading her books.